Portulaca plant named &#39;Dpazfchsia&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Portulaca  cultivar named ‘DPAZFCHSIA’ is disclosed, characterized by stable flower color, long blooming period—from Spring to Autumn, compact and semi-trailing habit. The new variety is a  Portulaca , normally produced as an outdoor garden or container plant.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES

Portulaca oleracea

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘DPAZFCHSIA’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new Portulaca cultivar is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the inventor, Gavriel Danziger, in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva,Israel. The objective of the breeding program was to produce newPortulaca varieties for ornamental commercial applications. The openpollination resulting in this new variety was made during 2010.

The seed parent is the, unpatented, proprietary variety referred to asPortulaca ‘PT-9-650’. The pollen parent is unknown as it was an openpollination breeding program. The new variety was discovered in June of2011 by the inventor in a group of seedlings resulting from the 2010crossing, in a research greenhouse in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was performed by vegetativecuttings. This was first performed at a research greenhouse in MoshavMishmar Hashiva, Israel in August of 2011 and has shown that the uniquefeatures of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in morethan 10 successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘DPAZFCHSIA’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length, and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘DPAZFCHSIA’ These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘DPAZFCHSIA’ as a new and distinct Portulacacultivar:

-   1. Compact and semi-trailing plant habit.-   2. Vivid and stable flower color.-   3. Long blooming period, from Spring to Autumn.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘DPAZFCHSIA’ are similar to plants of theseed parent, Portulaca ‘PT-9-650’ in most horticultural characteristics,however, plants of the new cultivar ‘DPAZFCHSIA’ differ in thefollowing;

-   1. New variety has a more compact and denser habit.-   2. Less trailing habit than seed parent.-   3. New variety produces larger flowers.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘DPAZFCHSIA’ are comparable to the commercialvariety Portulaca ‘Cupcakes Grape Jelly’. The two Portulaca varietiesare similar in most horticultural characteristics; however, the newvariety ‘DPAZFCHSIA’ differs in the following:

-   1. Leaves or the new variety are narrower in the apex and thinner    overall.-   2. Petal apex of the new variety is rounded while the petal apex of    ‘Cupcakes Grape Jelly’ is retuse.-   3. ‘DPAZFCHSIA’ has a plant habit which is semi trailing habit while    the plant habit of ‘Cupcakes Grape Jelly’ is semi-upright.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘DPAZFCHSIA’ can also be comparable to thepatented commercial variety Portulaca ‘SAKPOR001’ U.S. Plant Pat. No.24,528. The two Portulaca varieties are similar in most horticulturalcharacteristics; however, the new variety ‘DPAZFCHSIA’ differs in thefollowing:

-   1. Flowers are different shade of purple; N74B while the ‘SAKPOR001’    flower color is 67A.-   2. The new variety has a plant habit which is compact and    semi-trailing; this comparator has a plant habit is semi-mounding    and upright.-   3. Plant vigor of the new variety is moderate; this comparator has a    vigorous growth habit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color atypical plant of ‘DPAZFCHSIA’ grown in a greenhouse, in a 13 cm pot. Ageof the plant photographed is approximately 60 days from a rootedcutting. FIG. 2 illustrates a close up of the foliage. The photographswere taken using conventional techniques and although colors may appeardifferent from actual colors due to light reflectance it is as accurateas possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Mini Colour Chart 2001 except where general termsof ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe ‘DPAZFCHSIA’ plants grown in the October in agreenhouse, in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel. The growing temperatureranged from 14° C. to 30° C. during the day and from 10° C. to 23° C.during the night. General light conditions are bright, normal sunlight.Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical planttypes.

-   -   -   Botanical classification.—Portulaca oleracea ‘DPAZFCHSIA’.

-   Propagation:    -   -   Type of propagation typically used.—Cutting.        -   Time to initiate roots.—10-14 days at approximately 18-21°            C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous, spreading and dense.

-   Plant:    -   -   Age of plant described.—60 days from a rooted cutting.        -   Container size of the plant described.—13 cm.        -   Growth habit.—Semi-trailing.        -   Height.—17 cm.        -   Plant spread.—About 28 cm (radius).        -   Growth rate.—Medium vigor, semi-trailing growth habit.        -   Branching characteristics.—Tight, compact, dense branching.        -   Length of primary lateral branches.—26 cm.        -   Diameter of lateral branches.—0.3-0.5 cm.        -   Quantity of primary lateral branches.—About 8.        -   Characteristics of primary lateral branches.—Form:            Horizontal. Rounded with ridges along the branch Diameter:            Approximately 0.4 cm. Color: From the base RHS Greyed-orange            176A-176B. From the tip RHS Yellow-green 144A Texture:            Glabrous Strength: Flexible.        -   Internode length.—Approximately 3 cm.

-   Foliage:    -   -   Leaf.—Arrangement: Alternate Quantity: Approximately 36 per            branch. Average Length: 3.5 cm. Average Width: 1.4 cm. Shape            of blade: Oblanceolate Apex: Rounded tip in mature leaves            and acute tips in younger leaves. Base: Acuminate Margin:            Entire Texture of top surface: Smooth Texture of bottom            surface: Smooth Pubescence: Absent Aspect: Mainly flat,            angle of attachment about 45° Color: Young foliage upper            side: RHS Yellow-green 146A Young foliage under side: RHS            Yellow-green 146B Mature foliage upper side: RHS            Yellow-green 146A Mature foliage under side: RHS            Yellow-green 146B Venation: Indistinguishable from leaf            blade. Petiole: Absent.

-   Flower:    -   -   Natural flowering season.—Spring to Autumn in Moshav,            Mishmar, Israel.        -   Days to flowering from rooted cutting.—About 6 to 8 weeks.        -   Inflorescence and flower type and habit.—Terminal            inflorescence. Single flower. Flower held horizontal.        -   Rate of flower opening.—7 to 10 days from bud to fully            opened flower.        -   Flower longevity on plant.—Approximately 1 day.        -   Persistent or self-cleaning.—Self cleaning.        -   Bud.—Shape: Narrowly conical Length: Approximately 0.8-1 cm            Diameter: Approximately 0.5 cm Color: Bud base: RHS            Yellow-green 144A with a purplish tip near RHS Red-purple            59A.        -   Flower size.—Diameter: 3.2 cm. Length: 0.5 cm.        -   Corolla/petals.—Arrangement: Single flower with 5 distinct            petals fused at base. Length: Approximately 1.5 cm. Width:            Approximately 1.2 cm. Quantity: 5 petals Texture: Glabrous            Apex: Rounded Shape: Obovate with a cuneate base. Margin:            Entire Color: When opening: Upper surface: RHS Red-purple            N74B Lower surface: RHS Red-purple 67C Fully opened: Upper            surface: RHS Red-purple N74B Lower surface: RHS Red-purple            67C.        -   Calyx/sepals.—Quantity per flower: 2 Sepals per flower            Shape: Deltoid, elliptic with pointed tip Length: 0.7 cm            Width: 0.5 cm Apex: Acute Base: Fused Margin: Entire            Texture: Glabrous all surfaces. Color: Upper Surface: RHS            Yellow-green 144B bit purplish in the tip. Lower Surface:            RHS Yellow-green 144B.        -   Peduncle.—None.        -   Fragrance.—No.

-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Stamens.—Number: Many, around 60 Filament length:            Approximately 0.2 cm.        -   Anthers.—Shape: Oval, bilobed Length: Less than 0.5 mm            Color: RHS Yellow-green 150D Pollen: Color: Near RHS Orange            N25B Quantity: Many, around 60.        -   Pistil.—Number: 1 per flower Length: 0.7 cm. Style: Length:            0.5 cm. Color: Near RHS Yellow 2B Stigma: Shape: Six            branched stigma Color: Near RHS Yellow-Orange 17A and            pinkish in the center Ovary Color: Near RHS Blue-Green 114B.

-   Other characteristics:    -   -   Seeds and fruits.—Fruits are egg-shaped 4 mm long with a            conical shape top. Seeds are dark grey with a circular            shape. Minute and not possible to correctly identify R.H.S.            color.        -   Disease/pest resistance.—No unusual susceptibility or            resistance to diseases or insects has been observed.        -   Temperature tolerance.—Will not tolerate temperatures below            7° C. High temperature tolerance to 40° C.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Portulaca plantnamed ‘DPAZFCHSIA’ as herein illustrated and described.